My angel in Heaven / Renee Sanders (Mother)
My angel in Heaven has touched my heart in so many ways, both in living and in Heaven. Her smile lit up my heart everytime I saw it. I still remember the day she was born like it was yesterday. It was a joyful day. Her personality from the beginning was easy and relaxed. She was full of happiness and rarely cried. She was a very open child who had no qualms about expressing herself. As she grew, the joy, hopes, and aspirations for her grew. Her favorite song from the beginning was twinkle twinkle little star. That song always soothed her and she also learned the words early. A bedtime tradition after a book and prayers was to sing twinkle twinkle little star while while under the glow in the dark stars on her bedroom ceiling. I still remember her calling me to come look at the stars one night while staying with my sister in the NYS countryside. You see, my sister has a skylight in her bedroom over the bed. Alethia was amazed at the REAL stars that night. I see now that she was destined to be among those stars.
Alethia was her Daddy's girl. Daddy spoiled her rotten. Often he would come home from work with a special toy or a piece of candy. Alethia would often check his pants pockets the very minute that he walked in the door for candy and pennies for her piggy bank. We still have her bank with all of her pennies in it and continuously add more pennies. Her sister will probably inherit them as she gets older but for now they still belong to Alethia.
Alethia loved to go to the park often and play on the playground. She climbed and climbed. This made my heart jump often! She loved to sit on my lap while facing me and swing together. She would laugh and laugh. She loved to smell the flowers and would pick flowers for me. Those wildflowers given to me from her meant more than any flower shop boquet. I know now why my mom was so thrilled when I would pick her wildflowers.
Alethia's favorite shows were Bear in the Big Blue House, Dragon Tales, Arthur, Winnie the Pooh, and Scooby Doo. Her favorite movie was Shrek. I wish that you could have saw her face on her 4th birthday when her Daddy brought home a Shrek cake.
There are so may wonderful memories that I hold dear. So many in fact, that there is not enough paper in the world to express them all. My Alethia will always be in my heart and she is missed greatly. There is not a single day that goes by that I don't think of her. She continues to touch my heart on a daily basis. Everytime that I look at her 1 year old sister Nyssa I am reminded how big Alethia's heart was even now that she is in Heaven. You see, I believe that Alethia sent her sister Nyssa to us because she saw how overwhelming our grief was. She truly knew how much that we loved her and missed her. There was a point where I just wished for my own death so that I could be with Alethia but Alethia gave me hope and the strength to go on. How did she do that? Well let me tell you the story. I share this story as often as possible because I want to inspire people to lift themselves up after the death of a child.
After Alethia's death I went to see a specialist because of female problems that I was having. I also had a curiosity about a tubal reversal procedure. I had a tubal ligation after Alethia was born to prevent another pregnancy. The physician that I went to see is Dr. Magdi Hanafi. While consulting with him of course I shared my medical history and the story of Alethia's death. She died in a swimming pool drowning accident. When I shared this story with Dr. Hanafi he asked me if I had read the newspaper article that was framed and displayed on the waiting room wall. I did not notice this. He explained that it was about a couple who had lost their child in a drowning accident. The child's mother had a tubal ligation also. Dr. Hanafi performed a tubal reversal on the mother and she went on to have two more children afterwards. Immediately after Dr. Hanafi told me the story the hair on my neck stood up and I felt a presence. I felt as if Alethia had guided me to this Doctor who performed God's work. I felt that I was meant to have this operation and once again have the joy of a child in my life. All day long I could think of nothing else. I kept going over what had just happened in my mind over and over again. Was I crazy to think that I was guided there? Was I grieving so much that I was reaching for everything and anything to relieve my grief? I was in disbelief. By the end of the day I had convinced myself completely that this was meant to be. When my husband came home from work that night I excitedly shared the story with him. He was skeptical and said that he needed more time to think about this. The very next day while I was still sleeping he left me a note that simply read, " Yes Sweetie". I called the Doctor's office and scheduled the surgery. I had the surgery on August 1st and was pregnant less than three months later! We now have another daughter. Her name is Nyssa Olivia Sanders. She is an absolute joy and once again our lives are filled with happiness.
I thank God everyday that he brought Dr. Hanafi into our lives. I truly believe that he does God's work. He gives credit to God as well.
This is true testament that life can come from death. Everytime that I look at my dear Nyssa I am reminded just how much Alethia touched our lives and just how much that she loved us.
Thank you Alethia for the Love and enrichment that you brought to our lives. You have taught us much in your living and your passing that is worth more than any treasure on earth.
Love,
Mommy
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